[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H1414]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               COMPLETED COUNTING REAFFIRMS BUSH VICTORY

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, even before Vice President Gore conceded 
the Presidential election, the Democrats talked about counting all of 
the ballots to see who really won. Well, that task has been 
accomplished.
  The Miami Herald, Knight Ridder and USA Today conducted a 
comprehensive review of more than 64,000 ballots in all 67 Florida 
counties. What did this review find? Bush's margin of 537 votes would 
have increased to 1,665 if all the ballots were counted. This number 
was reached using the standard of counting every dimple, pinprick or 
hanging chad as a valid vote.
  Under different scenarios, counting chads with two corners detached, 
or counting dimples for the Presidential election, the verdict was the 
same: Governor Bush still would have won.
  This election was decided conclusively last year. For those who could 
not accept this fact, there was this fantasy, ``What if all the votes 
had been counted?'' The answer remains the same: President George W. 
Bush.

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